You say you don't remember Paul
Richards? Well, think back a little. You probably remember the face, but not the
name. Richards was a darkly handsome character actor who was usually
cast as the guest villain in TV shows such as Gunsmoke (where his
character shot Marshal Dillon in the very first episode). He also:

broke Burke's Law--twice

got booked by Danno on Hawaii
5-0

tried to Get Smart

menaced Mannix
and The Mod Squad

Here's a bit of
background on PR:

Paul Richards was born in
Hollywood, CA, on November 23, 1924. He apparently caught the showbiz
"bug" early: it was reported that when Richards was just ten years
old, he and some friends made films with an old 8mm camera and then charged other
kids a nickel admission to watch their "productions." As an
adult, Richards commented, "Little did I think that one day the same people
who paid five cents to see me in a movie would be paying two dollars to see me
do almost the same thing...but, of course, the direction and scripting have
improved."

He added, "I feel
most fortunate that I know what I wanted when I was ten and now, two decades
later, I have the same goal."

While earning a
Masters degree in theatre arts at UCLA, Richards
acted on radio, a medium well-suited to his distinctive voice. The talented
young actor was awarded a scholarship to London's Royal Academy of
Dramatic Art, but couldn't afford to travel to England. Also, as Richards later
explained, "The scholarship was a great honor, but the time comes when you
must stop formal studying--though you keep learning all your life--and get down
to work."

So, Richards stayed
in the US and entered the new medium of television, as
well as films. He also entered into matrimony with stage actress Monica Keating
in 1953.

In spite of his
captivating looks, Richards wound up playing mostly heavies. PR finally got
to play a good guy when he starred as a dedicated psychiatrist in the
short-lived ABC series Breaking Point (1963). Then, it was back to being
the bad guy in episodes of The Fugitive, Hawaii Five-O and Get
Smart, and in films such as Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

Richards also lent his
voice and urbane presence to TV commercials, including a memorable pitch for the
1967 Pontiac GTO. (Watch the actual ad here.)

Sadly, Paul Richards died of
cancer on December 10, 1974. He was just 50 years old.

This site is simply a tribute
to an actor whose talent I came to appreciate about 30 years
too late. If by some chance you're also a PR fan, I hope you enjoy this
site. And, if you can provide any additional background information his life
and/or career, please let me know. It is my goal to expand this site onto the
printed page by writing a full-fledged, in-depth biography of Paul
Richards.

Dr. Mac Will
See You Now:
A look at Paul Richards' TV series Breaking Point